Water toy



June 7, 1966 c. H. BRAMSON 3,254,441

WATER TOY Filed Jan. 8, 1965 FIG.5. F|G.6.

INVENTOR C live H. Bramson United States Patent 3,254,441 WATER TOY Clive H. Bramson, 1 Bay St., Oyster Bay, N.Y. Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,315 8 Claims. (Cl. 46-92) This invention is a coritinuation-in-part of my copending patent application Serial No. 388,828, filed August 11, 1964, and similarly relates to the propulsion of a floatation member upon the surface of a body of water.

More specifically, the present invention is concerned with amusement-type floatation members as e.g., animalshaped floatable toys, toy boats and other floatable devices which may contribute to water safety while also providing amusement to children. 7

The primary object of the instant invention resides in the provision of structural means incorporated within a floatation member, such means being capable of receiving water upon partial or complete submergence of the member in a body of water, whereby said member will be motivated as the water discharges from said means as the latter is caused to rise above the surface of the water by reason of the buoyancy of the member.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a floatable toy which a child can submerge beneath the water in a swimming pool, lake, ocean, etc., and which will move along the surface of the water once it has been buoyed to the surface thereof by reason of the natural discharge of water therefrom.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide a device of the described character which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture and highly effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant buoyant amusement device will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the structures defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate several embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a toy porpoise, the open end shown being the entrance to a cavity provided internally thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a partially cut-away side elevation of the toy porpoise illustrating the internal cavity;

FIGURE 3 is a modified construction of the toy porpoise shown in side cross-sectional elevation;

FIGURE 4 is a rear end elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is another embodiment of the invention incorporated within a toy submarine; and

FIGURE 6 is a rear end view of the top submarine showing the outlet end of the cavity.

It will be understood that the foregoing accompanying illustrations are merely exemplary and explanatory and the shape of the toy, the nature thereof and the location of the cavity with respect thereto may be varied without departing from the scope, of this invention. Thus, for purposes of illustration of a sea creature, the porpoise is herein utilized, and as a seagoing vessel, the submarine is selected.

Referring now in detail to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, numeral 1 generally designates the porpoise floatation toy incorporating the present invention.

Preferably, the material utilized in the construction of the present invention is expanded polystyrene, although other suitable materials may be utilized. The density of the materials determine the suitability thereof inasmuch as the operability of the invention is related to the buoyancy of the device incorporating the invention. That is, the greater the buoyancy (considered with other factors, e.g., cavity sizeand size of device), the greater the propulsive force attainable. That is, it has been determined that when a structure of the type herein disclosed is constructed of very low density material, such structure will float very high upon the surface of a body of water, and any water contained within the internal cavity 2 will flow from or be discharged from the cavity as the structure is buoyed to a high floating position upon the water. Thus, where a substantial portion of the structure and the cavity thereof floats above the surface 4 of the water 6 as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings wherein a toysubmarine 8 is shown, a substantial portion of any water previously contained within cavity 2 will be discharged therefrom due to gravity acting upon such previously contained water. It is this discharge of water from .hte cavity which propels the toy in a direction opposite to the direction of discharge, Although it has been found that propulsive effects will be achieved whenever the structure is sufficiently buoyant to float the cavity above the surface of the water and thus achieve water discharge from the cavity, more favorable propulsive results are attained where the density of the structure is sufiiciently low whereas approximately two-thirds or more of the cavity floats above the surface of the water. Thus, expanded polystyrene molded to densities of e.g., .8 to 4 lbs/ft. is highly suitable inasmuch as the cavities 2 of the toy structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings will then float almost entirely above the surface of the water and further, because of the buoyancy of the material, will rise to such floating positions quickly whereby the water occupying the cavity due to the previous submergence thereof, will be quickly discharged and occasion great propulsive effects to the toy structures. Densities of materials up to 15 lbs/ft. also afford very favorable results. Toy structures having average densities above 20 lbs./ft. and below 63 lbs./ft. although buoyant, would render only minimal propulsive effects; structuresof lower average densities, therefore, being preferable.

Accordingly, and in consonance with the foregoing, the

porpoise-shaped top structure 1 illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, is comprised of head 10, tail 12, and body portion 14, the interior of the structure including aforesaid hollow chamber or cavity 2, the latter being formed of end wall 16 and side walls 18, opening 20 being oomm-unicably related with said chamber and said opening facing rearwardly of said toy. The toy structure, also in consonance with aforestated considerations, is formed of material having a density substantially less than the density of water and said hollow chamber has a volumetric capacity such that a sufiicient quantity of water 22 can be received therewithin upon submergence of the toy beneath the surface 4 of a body of water 6 whereby said toy will be propelled upon the surface of the water as the water 22 contained within the hollow chamber is discharged therefrom at 24 as the toy is buoyed upon the surface of the water as shown in said FIGURE 2.

The toy submarine structure 8 shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 is comprised of front portion 26, rear portion 28, and a body portion 30 and a hollow chamber or cavity 2 as previously described with respect to the porpoise toy shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The opening 32 provides communication with the chamber of the submarine, water being able to enter the chamber through the opening upon partial or complete submergenc-e of the submarine beneath surface 4 of the body of Water 6, and the Water being disch-argable from the opening when the submarine is allowed to rise to the surface as shown in FIGURE 5.

The density of the structure is such that at least two-thirds of the cavity 2 will float above the surface of the water when the toy is released from submergence. As described with respect to the porpoise structure, the volumetric capacity of the hollow chamber is such that a sufficient quantity of water can be received therewithin upon submergence such that the toy will be propelled upon the surface of the water as water is discharged therefrom as the cavity is buoyed above the surface of the water.

With reference now to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, the floatation toy generally designated by numeral 34 is comprised of a pair of spaced, flexible, inflatable walls, 36 and 38 which form a hermetically sealed area 40 which is inflatable with a gas introduced under pressure through valve 42. When so inflated, the toy becomes shaped as shown in cross-section and end elevation. Further, when inflated, the toy includes front, rear and body portions as previously described with respect to the other embodiments hereof and the hollow chamber or cavity 2 performs in the same manner as in said other embodiments, opening 44 also functioning similarly to other embodiment openings 29 and 32 to permit filling and discharging of water to and from said chamber, to thus propel the inflated toy. The sealed end 46 as shown, thus forms the periphery of said opening 44.

Thus, by reason of the inflated construction of the latter described embodiment, the material of construction may be rubber or plastic or other suitable non-porous flexible material, the average density of the toy structure and therefore the floatability thereof being determined by the gas, e.g., air utilized to inflate the toy and the inflated volume and weight thereof when so inflated. A low average density, as discussed in detail hereinabove, will cause the cavity of the inflated toy to float high above the surface of water in which the toy is placed, discharge of water therefrom being thus occasioned.

The inflated toy herein shown is of porpoise-like configuration, it being understood, however, that any desirable shape may be utilized. It will be further appreciated that the toy, when deflated, may be conveniently packaged for distribution or storage and expediently inflated by mouth or gas cartridge in a conventional and well known manner. The toy may be submerged under water by a child and when released it will float to the surface of the water and be propelled by the discharge of Water therefrom.

It will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the forms, details proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation as generally stated consisting in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

being formed of material having a density substantially less than the density of water whereby substantially all of said chamber means will float above the surface of a body of water when said chamber means is filled with water, and said chamber means having a volumetric capacity such that a suflicient quantity of water can be received therewithin upon the application of an external force etfectuating submergence of the device beneath the surface of said body of water, and whereby water contained within said chamber means will readily discharge through said opening means substantially onto the surface of the body of water and said device will be propelled upon the surface of the body of water as the device is permitted to be buoyed upon said surface.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the density of the material is within the range of .8 to 4 1bs./ft.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the density of the material is within the range of .8 to 15 lbs./ft.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the material is expanded polystyrene.

5. A toy floatation device having front, rear and body portions, chamber means within said body portion, said device having opening means adjacent said rear portion and said opening means being communicably related with said chamber means of said body portion, said device being formed of material having a density substantially less than the density of water whereby substantially all of said chamber means will float above the surface of a body of water when said chamber means is filled with water, and said chamber means having a volumetric capacity such that a suflicient quantity of water can be received therewithin upon the application of an external force effectuating submergence of the device beneath the surface of said body of water, and whereby water contained within said chamber means will readily discharge through said opening means substantially onto the surface of the body of water and said device will be propelled upon the surface of the body of water as the device is permitted to be buoyed upon said surface.

6. A floatation toy as set forth in claim 5, wherein said opening faces rearwardly thereof.

7. A floatation toy as set forth in claim 5 the shape thereof being that of a boat.

8. A floatation toy as set forth in claim 5 wherein said toy includes a pair of spaced, flexible, inflatable Walls, whereby inflation of said walls forms the front, rear and body portions, the hollow chamber and said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,708,762 4/1929 Hudson 43-3 2,391,475 12/1945 Newhardt 4692 X 2,511,323 6/1950 Briggs et al. 46-95 2,665,519 1/1954 Burkes 46-92 X 3,095,197 6/1963 Weitzman 46-92 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

FREDERIC B. LEONARD, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A TOY FLOATATION DEVICE HAVING FRONT, REAR AND BODY PORTIONS, CHAMBER MEANS WITHIN SAID BODY PORTION, SAID DEVICE HAVING OPENING MEANS ADJACENT SAID REAR PORTION AND SAID OPENING MEANS BEING COMMUNICABLY RELATED WITH SAID CHAMBER MEANS OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID DEVICE BEING FORMED OF MATERIAL HAVING A DENSITY SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DESITY OF WATER WHEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID CHAMBER MEANS WILL FLOAT ABOVE THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER WHEN SAID CHAMBER MEANS IS FILLED WITH WATER, AND SAID CHAMBER MEANS HAVING A VOLUMETRIC CAPACITY SUCH THAT SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF WATER CAN BE RECEIVED THEREWITHIN UPON APPLICATION OF AN EXTERNAL FORCE EFFECTUATING SUBMERGENCE OF THE DEVICE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF SAID BODY OF WATER, AND WHEREBY WATER CONTAINED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER MEANS WILL READILY DISCHARGE THROUGH SAID OPENING MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE BODY OF WATER AND SAID DEVICE WILL BE PROPELLED UPON THE SURFACE OF THE BODY OF WATER AS THE DEVICE IS PERMIT TO BE BUOYED UPON SAID SURFACE. 